The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified malnutrition as a major public health concern in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria.
UNICEF raised the concern in Abakaliki, the state capital, during the official handover of 2,832 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS), procured under its Child Nutrition Match-Fund Project.
The Chief of the UNICEF Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, said the rising prevalence of child malnutrition in the state required urgent and sustained action. She noted that the rate of stunting among children under five in Ebonyi State increased from 20.6 per cent in 2015 to 25 per cent in 2018 and 32 per cent in 2024, according to the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
Mrs Chiluwe explained that the match-funding model promotes shared responsibility between the government, UNICEF, and development partners in addressing malnutrition.
“In the fight against child malnutrition, we commend the Ebonyi State Government for its strategic investment of ₦150 million, which UNICEF matched. This partnership enabled the procurement and delivery of 2,832 cartons of SQ-LNS, now being officially handed over. It demonstrates sustainable financing for nutrition and effective domestic resource mobilisation,” she said.
She emphasised that the first 1,000 days of life remain a critical window for child development, adding that proper deployment of the supplements through primary healthcare centres and community structures will significantly enhance child growth, immunity, cognitive development, and overall survival.
The UNICEF official urged the state government to ensure efficient last-mile distribution of the supplements to health facilities and communities, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Receiving the items, Governor Francis Nwifuru, represented by his deputy, Mrs Patricia Obila, expressed confidence that the intervention would help reduce the alarming rate of malnutrition in the state. He assured that the supplements would be distributed appropriately to achieve the intended impact.